Research Question: How do dysfunctional families affect student stress? Author: Olivia Seegers Articles
Dysfunctional Families: Recognizing and Overcoming their Effects In this article, the main focus was identifying what dysfunctional families are, how to deal with them, and what different types of abuse are. When researching about abusive families, I believed it was important to decipher which actions counted as abusive in certain situations. There are cases of neglect, alcoholism, control, deficiency, and sexual abuse. This website states that “Family dysfunction can be any condition that interferes with healthy family functioning” (Dysfunctional Families: Recognizing and Overcoming Their Effects). The article goes on to ask different questions about if this happens in your home, giving specifics as to what constitutes as abuse. Finally, the article ends with ways to overcome abuse, giving the reader ways to respond effectively such as seeking help, effective communication, and learning to identify emotions. Any type of physical or emotional abuse led to a drop of commitment in schools and ignore responsibilities.
What I found most interesting about this article was that this was a faculty written article that truly delved into what is a severe issue in student's lives today. Too often abuse is pushed under the rug or ignored by schools, and this article brings to light what it is and how to prevent it. Also, it identifies different types of abuse. What I found most interesting about that subject was the abuse of control. We never hear about families with helicopter parents who refuse to let their child do anything. I never thought of this as an area of abuse, but in extreme cases it does become destructive behavior.
Benton, S. (2015, October 19). Kansas State University. Retrieved December 3, 2015, from http:www.k-state.edu/counseling/topics/relationships/dysfunc.html
Dysfunctional Family Relationships In this article, the main points are identifying types of abuse and how it affects the student. According to a study at Brown University, the main outcomes of child abuse on a student result in low self esteem, problems or avoidance in their academic work, and a lack of identity. Students are left thinking that they deserved the abuse, and therefor deserve the outcome and what has happened in their life. They give examples of abuse as parents who are inappropriately uninvolved or too involved with their children's lives, parents who lock their children out of a house, or being forced to pick a side between parents (Understanding Dysfunctional Relationship Patterns in Your Family.) The article insists that to change the behavior they must change themselves and remove themselves physically or change their situation.
What I found most interesting about this article was that it gave more examples of abuse instead of the normal "hitting, punching, neglecting" examples. This talked about how promiscuity, gambling, or changing the role of child to parent counted as forms of abuse or dysfunction. Much like the other article from a well known university, I was pleasantly surprised that the topic was out in the open instead of not talked about. There were ways to deal with abuse slowly, such as choosing one thing to work on at a time or making a list of behaviors he or she would like to change.
Brown University. (n.d.). Retrieved December 3, 2015, from http://www.brown.edu/campus-life/support/counseling-and-psychological-services/dysfunctional-family-relationships What is causing the College Student Mental Health Crisis? This article comes from a psychologist's point of view, explaining in an opinionated piece what he thinks is leading to this "Era of Anxiety" for students in today's world. In multiple paragraphs, he explains how he believes that economic and financial pressures, confusion of identity, and a rise of technology has created the modern student's stress. He also states that families have something to do with today's increase of stress in students and decline in mental health. According to Dr. Henriques, "The significant rise of divorce rates and the breakdown of the traditional family structure certainly must be considered as a possible contributor to the emerging mental health crisis. My take is that traditional family should not be defined as a man and a woman with two and a half kids. But what is absolutely needed is a stable, loving, secure, predictable structure that kids can call home. Modern families are not providing this to the extent that they need to" (Henriques). Although divorce is not seen as child abuse, the mental trauma of going through a divorce can cause significant turmoil in a student's life, at any age.
This article hit home for me in many ways, considering most people do not think of divorce or separation apart of family dysfunction. Although my parents are still together, I have seen how divorce, infidelity between parents, and financial strains on families have affected friends of mine and people close to me. Instead of worrying about what every teenager should be worrying about (getting to school on time, finishing homework etc.), they are worried about if they'll see their mother or father again this week. They don't want to be forced to pick sides on a daily basis, on who is right and wrong in their parents marriage. I was happy to see that although no physical or psychological abuse was happening, marital strain is seen as a hardship placed on students, not a side note that did not matter.
Stress and Child Abuse: The Past Hurts In this article, the author gives us exact numbers and reasons as to why child abuse and a dysfunctional home can lead to student stress. First, Woodsten explains that by adulthood, people that have experienced trauma due to family dysfunction have an 80% chance of having a mental illness. This can range from anxiety disorders to depression. He then goes on to give us an example of what happens to a student/child's brain when they do not receive enough attention. This is caused when parents are neglectful of their children. When ignored, cortisol is produced in vast quantities in the brain. This hormone creates feelings of stress and anxiety. If the child is left with these feelings, they have no where else to go but down. Woodston then explains to the reader how damaging this hormone can be, stating "The stress of chronic abuse may change the hardwiring of certain parts of the brain so that even small amounts of stress trigger a 'hyperarousal' response, which can result in hyperactivity, sleep disturbances, and anxiety, as well as increased susceptibility to hyperactivity, conduct disorders, and memory and learning problems." These effects will definitely affect a students capabilities in the classroom, where stress is a constant shadow.
This article stood out to me because it gave specific examples as to why dysfunctional families and child abuse disturb children and lead to student stress during and after the course of abuse. Instead of just saying "abuse is bad and leaves kids traumatized" it gave statistics and actual reasons as to why stress was induced. I also liked that it talked about stress being a trigger, a feeling all too familiar with students nowadays. Most times a little bit of stress is good for students, it gives them an idea that something is at stake and their work needs to be done. Too much stress in one area of their life can lead to stress in other areas which can be detrimental to their wellbeing as well as their schooling.
Approximately 26.8 million children are exposed to alcoholism in the family and 6.6 million children age 18 and younger live in households with at least one alcoholic parent.-RAYCHELLE LOHMANN And so begins my last article, focusing on one aspect of a dysfunctional family. Alcoholism is one of the most common diseases in the United States, affecting over 18 million adults nationwide. It is one of the most common causes of familial strain, causing anxiety, depression, and stress to COAs. A COA is a term used to describe children of alcoholics. Many children living with one or two alcoholic parents must take on the role of caregiver, instead of child. This automatically makes them responsible for the household and not their education. In most "normal" situations, children are expected to attend school, do well in their classes, and try their hardest. For a COA, their last focus is grades. First comes the home or other siblings in this alcoholic household. According to the author, Raychelle Lohmann, "...these children live in homes filled with stress, financial hardship, instability, neglect and violence. Unfortunately, these vulnerable youth often struggle academically, behaviorally and emotionally."
I believe the reason I liked this article so much was because it was not only talking to the mistreated children, it spoke to the adults as well. In my other articles, authors either directly "spoke" to their abused reader, giving them insight as to what they should do. This article ended with advice to the alcoholic parent, asking them to seek help instead of continuing the pattern of abuse. Lohmann insists that both the parents and the children need to attend therapy, and that this is truly a sickness; but that it is only treatable if the alcoholic will try. I have seen the way alcohol can destroy a family dynamic, as I have seen it happen to extended family. During the worst times, my cousins were only worrying about my uncle and not getting into college or keeping up good grades.
During my research, I learned more things than I thought I would have at the beginning of this project. I had a feeling that of course, with dysfunctional families would come stress. No family is normal or perfect, and stress is an average feeling in today's world. Over 30% of students say that their source of anxiety comes from the home, either due to parents or a conflict therein. I learned that there is more than just physical abuse or neglect. Thousands of students in America are currently living with helicopter parents, who constantly live through their children and belittle them when they don't get a 4.0 GPA. There are children who go home from school terrified of their mothers and fathers who hit them or punish them. There are times when a child has no time to focus on their education because they're too busy wondering if their mother or father will quit drinking. This made me take a hard look at how my life has been in comparison to these students'.
How does this research help us identify or refine a strategy to improve schools in Rhode Island?
After researching this topic, I believe that there needs to be more of a connection between the guidance counselor and students. Too often inability to complete work or pay attention in school is seen as a deficiency in the child. Schools in Rhode Island need to start having honest conversations with their students in order to have more of an understanding about their lives, both in and out of the classroom.
Author: Olivia Seegers
Articles
Dysfunctional Families: Recognizing and Overcoming their Effects
In this article, the main focus was identifying what dysfunctional families are, how to deal with them, and what different types of abuse are. When researching about abusive families, I believed it was important to decipher which actions counted as abusive in certain situations. There are cases of neglect, alcoholism, control, deficiency, and sexual abuse. This website states that “Family dysfunction can be any condition that interferes with healthy family functioning” (Dysfunctional Families: Recognizing and Overcoming Their Effects). The article goes on to ask different questions about if this happens in your home, giving specifics as to what constitutes as abuse. Finally, the article ends with ways to overcome abuse, giving the reader ways to respond effectively such as seeking help, effective communication, and learning to identify emotions. Any type of physical or emotional abuse led to a drop of commitment in schools and ignore responsibilities.
What I found most interesting about this article was that this was a faculty written article that truly delved into what is a severe issue in student's lives today. Too often abuse is pushed under the rug or ignored by schools, and this article brings to light what it is and how to prevent it. Also, it identifies different types of abuse. What I found most interesting about that subject was the abuse of control. We never hear about families with helicopter parents who refuse to let their child do anything. I never thought of this as an area of abuse, but in extreme cases it does become destructive behavior.
Benton, S. (2015, October 19). Kansas State University. Retrieved December 3, 2015, from http:www.k-state.edu/counseling/topics/relationships/dysfunc.html
Dysfunctional Family Relationships
In this article, the main points are identifying types of abuse and how it affects the student. According to a study at Brown University, the main outcomes of child abuse on a student result in low self esteem, problems or avoidance in their academic work, and a lack of identity. Students are left thinking that they deserved the abuse, and therefor deserve the outcome and what has happened in their life. They give examples of abuse as parents who are inappropriately uninvolved or too involved with their children's lives, parents who lock their children out of a house, or being forced to pick a side between parents (Understanding Dysfunctional Relationship Patterns in Your Family.) The article insists that to change the behavior they must change themselves and remove themselves physically or change their situation.
What I found most interesting about this article was that it gave more examples of abuse instead of the normal "hitting, punching, neglecting" examples. This talked about how promiscuity, gambling, or changing the role of child to parent counted as forms of abuse or dysfunction. Much like the other article from a well known university, I was pleasantly surprised that the topic was out in the open instead of not talked about. There were ways to deal with abuse slowly, such as choosing one thing to work on at a time or making a list of behaviors he or she would like to change.
Brown University. (n.d.). Retrieved December 3, 2015, from http://www.brown.edu/campus-life/support/counseling-and-psychological-services/dysfunctional-family-relationships
What is causing the College Student Mental Health Crisis?
This article comes from a psychologist's point of view, explaining in an opinionated piece what he thinks is leading to this "Era of Anxiety" for students in today's world. In multiple paragraphs, he explains how he believes that economic and financial pressures, confusion of identity, and a rise of technology has created the modern student's stress. He also states that families have something to do with today's increase of stress in students and decline in mental health. According to Dr. Henriques,
"The significant rise of divorce rates and the breakdown of the traditional family structure certainly must be considered as a possible contributor to the emerging mental health crisis. My take is that traditional family should not be defined as a man and a woman with two and a half kids. But what is absolutely needed is a stable, loving, secure, predictable structure that kids can call home. Modern families are not providing this to the extent that they need to" (Henriques). Although divorce is not seen as child abuse, the mental trauma of going through a divorce can cause significant turmoil in a student's life, at any age.
This article hit home for me in many ways, considering most people do not think of divorce or separation apart of family dysfunction. Although my parents are still together, I have seen how divorce, infidelity between parents, and financial strains on families have affected friends of mine and people close to me. Instead of worrying about what every teenager should be worrying about (getting to school on time, finishing homework etc.), they are worried about if they'll see their mother or father again this week. They don't want to be forced to pick sides on a daily basis, on who is right and wrong in their parents marriage. I was happy to see that although no physical or psychological abuse was happening, marital strain is seen as a hardship placed on students, not a side note that did not matter.
Henriques, G. (2014, February 21). What Is Causing the College Student Mental Health Crisis? Retrieved December 3, 2015, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/theory-knowledge/201402/what-is-causing-the-college-student-mental-health-crisis
Stress and Child Abuse: The Past Hurts
In this article, the author gives us exact numbers and reasons as to why child abuse and a dysfunctional home can lead to student stress. First, Woodsten explains that by adulthood, people that have experienced trauma due to family dysfunction have an 80% chance of having a mental illness. This can range from anxiety disorders to depression. He then goes on to give us an example of what happens to a student/child's brain when they do not receive enough attention. This is caused when parents are neglectful of their children. When ignored, cortisol is produced in vast quantities in the brain. This hormone creates feelings of stress and anxiety. If the child is left with these feelings, they have no where else to go but down. Woodston then explains to the reader how damaging this hormone can be, stating "The stress of chronic abuse may change the hardwiring of certain parts of the brain so that even small amounts of stress trigger a 'hyperarousal' response, which can result in hyperactivity, sleep disturbances, and anxiety, as well as increased susceptibility to hyperactivity, conduct disorders, and memory and learning problems." These effects will definitely affect a students capabilities in the classroom, where stress is a constant shadow.
This article stood out to me because it gave specific examples as to why dysfunctional families and child abuse disturb children and lead to student stress during and after the course of abuse. Instead of just saying "abuse is bad and leaves kids traumatized" it gave statistics and actual reasons as to why stress was induced. I also liked that it talked about stress being a trigger, a feeling all too familiar with students nowadays. Most times a little bit of stress is good for students, it gives them an idea that something is at stake and their work needs to be done. Too much stress in one area of their life can lead to stress in other areas which can be detrimental to their wellbeing as well as their schooling.
Woolston, C. (2015, March 11). Stress and Child Abuse: The Past Hurts. Retrieved December 3, 2015, from http://consumer.healthday.com/encyclopedia/children-s-health-10/child-development-news-124/stress-and-child-abuse-the-past-hurts-645998.html
How Alcoholism Affects Children//
Approximately 26.8 million children are exposed to alcoholism in the family and 6.6 million children age 18 and younger live in households with at least one alcoholic parent.-RAYCHELLE LOHMANN
And so begins my last article, focusing on one aspect of a dysfunctional family. Alcoholism is one of the most common diseases in the United States, affecting over 18 million adults nationwide. It is one of the most common causes of familial strain, causing anxiety, depression, and stress to COAs. A COA is a term used to describe children of alcoholics. Many children living with one or two alcoholic parents must take on the role of caregiver, instead of child. This automatically makes them responsible for the household and not their education. In most "normal" situations, children are expected to attend school, do well in their classes, and try their hardest. For a COA, their last focus is grades. First comes the home or other siblings in this alcoholic household. According to the author, Raychelle Lohmann, "...these children live in homes filled with stress, financial hardship, instability, neglect and violence. Unfortunately, these vulnerable youth often struggle academically, behaviorally and emotionally."
I believe the reason I liked this article so much was because it was not only talking to the mistreated children, it spoke to the adults as well. In my other articles, authors either directly "spoke" to their abused reader, giving them insight as to what they should do. This article ended with advice to the alcoholic parent, asking them to seek help instead of continuing the pattern of abuse. Lohmann insists that both the parents and the children need to attend therapy, and that this is truly a sickness; but that it is only treatable if the alcoholic will try. I have seen the way alcohol can destroy a family dynamic, as I have seen it happen to extended family. During the worst times, my cousins were only worrying about my uncle and not getting into college or keeping up good grades.
Lohmann, R. (2015, March 12). Broken Promises: How Alcoholism Affects Children. Retrieved December 4, 2015, from http://www.rehabs.com/pro-talk-articles/broken-promises-how-alcoholism-can-affect-children/
Overall Reaction to Your Research
During my research, I learned more things than I thought I would have at the beginning of this project. I had a feeling that of course, with dysfunctional families would come stress. No family is normal or perfect, and stress is an average feeling in today's world. Over 30% of students say that their source of anxiety comes from the home, either due to parents or a conflict therein. I learned that there is more than just physical abuse or neglect. Thousands of students in America are currently living with helicopter parents, who constantly live through their children and belittle them when they don't get a 4.0 GPA. There are children who go home from school terrified of their mothers and fathers who hit them or punish them. There are times when a child has no time to focus on their education because they're too busy wondering if their mother or father will quit drinking. This made me take a hard look at how my life has been in comparison to these students'.How does this research help us identify or refine a strategy to improve schools in Rhode Island?
After researching this topic, I believe that there needs to be more of a connection between the guidance counselor and students. Too often inability to complete work or pay attention in school is seen as a deficiency in the child. Schools in Rhode Island need to start having honest conversations with their students in order to have more of an understanding about their lives, both in and out of the classroom.